The teachings of Islām not only guide us to the ways of attaining success in the next life, they also encompass the principles that show us how to achieve success in this life and improve our society. One clear principle from amongst them is the honouring of Muslims, due to which, certain things such as swearing, slandering, backbiting and fault-finding, etc. are prohibited in the Sharī’ah (Islamic Law). The disease of fault-finding is spreading like a virus within the society. It is becoming the norm for people to forget themselves and instead search for faults in others. Whereas, Allah Almighty has prohibited us from finding faults in others:
وَّ لَا تَجَسَّسُوْا
And do not search for (hidden) faults
[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 26, Surah Al-Hujurat, Verse 12)
Commenting on the above verse, Sadr Al-Afādil Sayyid Muftī Muhammad Na’īm al-Dīn Murādābādī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: ‘Do not find faults in other Muslims and do not seek to know of their hidden matters which Allāh Almighty has concealed due to him being The One Who Veils (matters)’. (Khazā’in al-‘Irfān, pp. 950, summarised)
Allāh Almighty has clearly prohibited fault-finding and the Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم has also condemned the action of finding faults in others and then spreading them amongst people. The Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم said: The one who seeks the faults of his Muslim brother, Allāh Almighty will reveal his faults; and the one whose fault Allah Almighty makes apparent, he shall be disgraced even if he is sat at home. (Tirmidhī, vol. 3, pp. 416, Hadīth 2039)
Under the aforementioned Hadīth, Muftī Ahmad Yār Khān Na’īmī رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه